Great Day!!!

Yaahoooo! Kidney stone extraction successful! Feeling great.

(Disclaimer: I think I am still feeling the effects of sedation. I am not to make any important decisions or sign any papers less than 24 hours after waking up. Therefore, this blog is at risk for some off-center thinking/writing.)

We left for Hershey medical center at 5:45 am this morning after Barb downed two cups of coffee. I was not to have anything to eat or drink after midnight so no sugar or caffeine jump start for me. 

We did a fair amount of waiting around, but nothing serious. I went into surgery around 9:30 and woke up at 11:30 am WITHOUT A KIDNEY STONE, CATHETER AND PEE BAG. The procedures I had were: cystoscopy, right ureteroscopy, basket stone extraction and stent placement.

Translation: going through my urethra they grabbed the whole stone (with a basket??) and pulled it out in one piece. No Star Wars laser beams were needed or sonic blasts to break the stone. They were prepared to use a laser, if needed. The stone was sent to a lab to determine type. I won't know the results until I go back next week to have a ureter stent removed. The stent was placed to allow the inflamed ureter to heal without any possible adhesions which could block the flow of urine from the kidney. Don't want that. So, one more trip to Hershey for stent removal. We plan to coordinate that with my oncology visit next Friday during which I will have some blood tests done and discuss future treatments for the pancreatic cancer.

After post op recovery and getting on my feet we headed home at 4:30 pm and I was starving. Had a crazy urge to have a crab cake so we stopped at Martin's Country Market on the way home and bought one (Barb didn't share my compulsion). I had a great supper w/fresh tomato, sweet corn, crab cake, spaghetti.

Last evening we had a delightful "ice tea, pears, crackers and cheese time" with Norman and Darlene Hofer of Freeman, SD. It's always fun to catch up on the haps in SD.

Thanks everyone for your support and prayers today ... and earlier ... and upcoming. You help keep me dealing with the real.